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I'm trying to make a unique looking traitor guard and I find using the cadians don't fit my theme. I hear to play at a GW store 50% of the model has to be GW. Would I be able to use it in store, if not can someone sugest a way to make it legal while keeping the look.

GW parts: base, lasgun and arms, grenade, knife and side pouches

Non-GW: head and body

UPDATE: Went to the store with model in hand, while told it was a nice conversion, they decided I could not field an army of them as they decided it did not consist of a majority of GW parts. I'm back to the drawing board as of this moment.

Probably not in a GW store (but it would depend on which variety of douche you have running it).

saw him off the little "base" he's one, and just say it's a conversion. Add some IG pouches and such and you should be fine.

The vast majority of the model isn't GW. All you have are some GW arms and a gun. The head, torso and legs aren't GW.

I don't think it would fly in a GW store. Here at mine they don't mind using 3rd parties things like rhino doors or shoulder pads, but that model wouldn't meet the requirements.

I've found some really cool GW managers who, besides being quite friendly and nice, let me field ork trukks made of GW box sets(not to boast but quite well converted, to scale and what not.). I've also walked into a GW store that said i couldn't field my traitor guard because some of them, not all, had pig iron heads and the arms from the model you're using. I actually own like 20 of those guys pretty cool models for cheap. It truly depends on what store you're going to.

It's a wonderful model!! Once you have painted and based it they will hardly notice that it isn't GW... If they ask you can say that it's greenstuff

If your model will produce the following conversation, you will not be allowed to use it in GW stores:

Random person: "Wow! that model is cool! Where can I buy it?"
You: "You can't without buying something from a 3rd party company."

I can't see a difference between that and a normal model.

nkelsch wrote:
If your model will produce the following conversation, you will not be allowed to use it in GW stores:

Random person: "Wow! that model is cool! Where can I buy it?"
You: "You can't without buying something from a 3rd party company."

Sadly that is more or less true.

It's one thing to have some shoulder pads or gun replacements, to which you can say "I used some guns I found that I liked". It's another thing to basically say that your model can be made without really buying any GW kits.

Hence, the base components of the model have to be GW. Head swaps, gun swaps, shoulder pad swaps, all are fine by themselves. but body swaps AND head swaps together would be a swift "No" from the GW store manager.

Basically, your model can be made by just buying the arm and gun parts from a bits seller. Meaning you didn't likely buy an entire Cadian box just for the arms. So to GW it means that others who like it will get that idea and not buy from GW.


Ultimately, if you like what you have done here, don't play at a GW store. I don't know of any independent stores who care.

Okay, besides the head, can anyone recommend GW parts to get a similar look.

 DiRTWaL wrote:
I can't see a difference between that and a normal model.

really? You don't see a difference between that model and this?

Ask someone who works up there. But I don't see why not. Or say that the body is a Cadian with LOTS of GS on it.

 DiRTWaL wrote:
I can't see a difference between that and a normal model.

see the post above yours


people will ask, and no company wants someone to say to another person in their store to go buy things from another company

 Spartan089 wrote:
Okay, besides the head, can anyone recommend GW parts to get a similar look.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Guard/Death-Korps-of-Krieg/DEATH_KORPS_OF_KRIEG_INFANTRY_AND_ACCESSORIES/DEATH-KORPS-OF-KRIEG-INFANTRY-SQUAD-AT-EASE.html

that is the closest I can think of off the top of my head.

Yeah, that's probably pushing it. I've got the exact same combination except I used some Pig Iron heads as well. It was a great way to create ghetto DKOK troops, but I wouldn't take them into a GW to play!

1. I would play at another store if there is one, but there isnt. The next closest store only has 40k games 1 or 2 times a week and they charge $5 just for using the tables.

2. I don't want to lie and say I used greenstuff because if someone calls me out on it I can be permanently banned.

3. Forge world as someone sugested is not a suitable alternative. Due to expenses and other asthetic differences.

 chromedog wrote:
Probably not in a GW store (but it would depend on which variety of douche you have running it).

A GW store manager not letting you use models made by another company in a GW store is not being any 'variety of douche'.


If you want to play in GW stores, you play by GW rules. Expecting you to respect the fact that it's a GW store isn't particularly unreasonable.

 insaniak wrote:

 chromedog wrote:
Probably not in a GW store (but it would depend on which variety of douche you have running it).

A GW store manager not letting you use models made by another company in a GW store is not being any 'variety of douche'.


If you want to play in GW stores, you play by GW rules. Expecting you to respect the fact that it's a GW store isn't particularly unreasonable.

I agree, I would just like to point out I'm not complaining about the policy, I'm just trying to figure out how to make my models look the way I want them too while maintaining that policy.

If you are dead set on the non-cadian look, and need more GW kit in there, these guys might be your best bet:


You would have to cut away their shoulders, but shouldnt be an issue, especially as the cadian arms replace them. Then you can use the third party heads and bam, 75% GW.
(kit is Bretonnian Men at Arms btw)

In most cases this would be a rough breakdown of what % each piece of a standard man sized and shaped model would be:

head 20%
arms 20%
torso 20%
legs 20%

weapon 10%
accessories 0(in most cases negligible)%
shoulders/shields 10%

I very much doubt that most store managers would be that precise about it.

 insaniak wrote:
I very much doubt that most store managers would be that precise about it.

I mean as a general guideline to how much of a model is worth. So if the legs and torso are one piece, they comprise about 40% of the aesthetic of the model. By that standard, the model shown is 60% non GW parts, which I would agree with. So for "GW majority" you'd be looking at least for 60% or more, but of course it isn't a hard set rule. And those numbers only really work for man shaped models.

A tank is fairly straightforward in this case though, the main body/hull needs to obvious at first glance as to what it is. I've asked my local GW manager, and he has zero problem with 3rd party doors, or razorback turrets etc, as long as the main portion of the model is GW. But then my manager happens to be one of the most easy going not in your face GW employees I've ever met. I fear that the red shirts up at the bunker are far more trigger happy than he is.

I'll just go and ask tomorrow. Will update you guys on the official response.

The GW store I go to specifically states the model must consist of 85% GW parts.

 Aerethan wrote:
I mean as a general guideline to how much of a model is worth. So if the legs and torso are one piece, they comprise about 40% of the aesthetic of the model. By that standard, the model shown is 60% non GW parts, which I would agree with. So for "GW majority" you'd be looking at least for 60% or more, but of course it isn't a hard set rule.

I strongly suspect that in most cases it's simply going to come down to whether or not it looks like a GW model, and the actual percentage will be largely irrelevant, regardless of their stated allowance.

 insaniak wrote:

 Aerethan wrote:
I mean as a general guideline to how much of a model is worth. So if the legs and torso are one piece, they comprise about 40% of the aesthetic of the model. By that standard, the model shown is 60% non GW parts, which I would agree with. So for "GW majority" you'd be looking at least for 60% or more, but of course it isn't a hard set rule.

I strongly suspect that in most cases it's simply going to come down to whether or not it looks like a GW model, and the actual percentage will be largely irrelevant, regardless of their stated allowance.

in that case, the model in the OP would fail.

Well this sucks, so it either do a crappy greenstuff job or use models that look nothing like what I want.

or you could paint it, and say its green stuff, basically lying but how will they find out and im sure most people will understand that you just wanted something that looked the way you wanted it too and theyd be fine.

I don't think that will cut it, those troops only have three body types, so unless you were a really good sculpter...It's going to look a bit too good!

This thread makes me so grateful that we have multiple FLGSs in my area and none of them are actual GWs.